Ministry Mindset Part 1

February 7, 2018

A workplace minister thinks like a missionary. First, they recognize others don’t share their passion for Jesus or their motivation for work. They followed Jesus while living in a foreign land and he sent them back to their country, exactly like the guy from Gerasene (Mark 5:1-20). Now, everything is different. They know they’re not in Kansas anymore. The workplace minister has a new direction, a new purpose, new skills and a new boss.

A New Direction

They know the culture and the customs of this land, but now those customs don’t align with the minister’s new life in Christ. Most of their coworkers are working to improve their lives. They’re doing what they think will get them ahead. Because the Western world is becoming more and more postmodern, most are not actively looking for Jesus or eternal life. Most of the workplace minister’s coworkers already have a worldview and a belief system and a god that fits within it. So, they’re not looking to make a change.

A workplace minister has a new North (Gal 5:24). They travel a different path than their coworkers or their boss. This minister works to show the new direction and new life by doing things differently. They display a new patience (1 Cor 13:4), willingness to bear others burdens (Gal 6:2); they avoid judgement (Luke 6:37), give freely (Luke 6:38) and forgive easily (Col 3:13). And they have a supernatural ability to show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23).

Make Others Successful

Yet, workplace ministers remember other people have different motivations and goals for their lives and different ideas of success. They respect others’ ability to choose their beliefs, direction and future. Therefore, rather than force a new direction on others, workplace ministers do their work very well, and display the activities mentioned above so that others will see their new direction. They ask God to keep them focused on the new direction, and when coworkers or others ask, they speak about their choice to follow Jesus, using the first person. They’re not salespeople for Jesus, just witnesses to the change Christ made in their own life.

There is much more to say, but this is a good start. What other things come to your mind that help us live with a missionary or a ministry mindset in our daily workplace lives? Share your thoughts below or in the Follower of One community.

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Mike Henry Sr.

Mike Henry Sr. is the CEO and Lead Instigator of Follower of One. He loves to challenge Jesus-followers to make a positive difference. His mission is to elevate purpose and mobilize people and his goal is to live his life as a full-time minister, regardless of his occupation.